Port Orange police are once again focused on a quiet neighborhood home tied to a 2012 death, according to local reporting. The property once belonged to James Maxwell, who is already serving multiple life sentences for violent crimes from that era.
Officers were seen at the house this week, though details about what sparked the renewed attention are scarce. Police have not identified any new charges or suspects connected to the latest activity, FOX 35 Orlando reported.
Maxwell's criminal history
Maxwell has a long criminal record in Volusia County. In late 2012, he pleaded guilty to kidnapping and raping his 9-year-old neighbor after a December 2011 holiday party and was sentenced to multiple life terms, according to WFTV. Court records and earlier coverage also show he previously served time following an attempted murder conviction in the 1980s.
2012 discovery and later plea deal
In June 2012, investigators uncovered human remains buried in the backyard of Maxwell's Port Orange home. Authorities later linked the remains to missing woman Chasity Starr, according to local reports. Maxwell went on to plead guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in a deal that took the death penalty off the table and brought additional life sentences, WESH reported.
Family response and lingering questions
The plea agreement infuriated relatives of the victims. Chasity Starr's mother told reporters that Maxwell was "dead to all of us," according to WESH. At the time, investigators said they believed Maxwell might be connected to other unsolved cases, though officials have not publicly tied him to any victims beyond the two in the murder case.
What officials say now
So far, Port Orange officials are not saying what prompted this week’s renewed look at the property. Police did not immediately offer further comment on the scope of the review or whether it is part of an active homicide investigation, according to FOX 35 Orlando. The station also noted that no new charges have been announced.
For now, the inquiry appears limited and ongoing, with key details still under wraps until police or prosecutors decide to release more information.
